Governors of Karnataka

The Governor of Karnataka is the nominal head of the state. The President of India directly appoints the Governor for a period of 5 years. The Governor’s powers and functions at the state level are similar to those of the President of India at Union level.

Jayachamarajendra Wadiya, The 1st Governor of the reorganized or unified State of Mysore. Image courtesy URajachandra

The primary function of the Governor is to defend, protect, and preserve the Constitution and the law. The Governor of Karnataka can exercise the following powers:

Executive powers in relation to administration, appointments, and removals

Legislative powers in relation to law making and the Karnataka State Legislature

Discretionary powers that can be applied as per the discretion of the Governor

The list of Governors of Karnataka since the formation of the state is as follows: